Garden Month: Butterfly Garden
It's gardening month! It has been shown that gardening is a calming, mood-boosting activity for everyone. Gardening can be helpful to those with dementia. Adding a background of fluttering butterflies creates a calmer, natural serenity. Butterflies are a great addition to any garden setting. Butterflies can symbolize happy childhood memories of playing in flower fields or represent the many transitions of life's journey. Developing a butterfly garden can be a beneficial activity in many ways.
Why Have a Butterfly Garden?
The purpose of a butterfly garden is to attract butterflies and create a serene landscape. One important factor is the fact that pollinator populations are declining. Creating a garden that provides habitat is helpful to the environment. Pollination is critical to plant reproduction and health. The more pollinators, the more nearby plants will be lush and vibrant. Developing a butterfly garden allows people to contribute to the environment in a small, but significant way. Being a contribution can make aging in place be a more pleasant experience.
Starting a butterfly garden is fairly simple. It is a matter of adding a few strategic plants. Creating a habitat that will keep butterflies around is a great at-home project to take on. There are a few activities during the process of developing the garden that could add a good cognitive boost for those aging in place.
Research
Learning about the local butterflies in the nearby area can become an enjoyable activity, turning into a daily routine. Researching and identifying butterflies can become a day-to-day practice once the garden is established. Flipping through field guides and reading about plants that define suitable habitats for butterflies helps the brain cranks move.
Planning
It is a good idea to plot out the layout of the garden. Having the plot in writing is valuable. For one, remembering what was written down won't be an issue. Two, when people write down their ideas or goals, they are more likely to act. This is where the research applies. Butterflies need a diverse set of plants for their habitat. Diversity is the best policy. This can become another routine activity to enjoy.
Picking Plants that Butterflies Love
Providing the appropriate flowers and plants encourages butterflies to move in and not move on. Use plants and flowers that provide shelter, food, and water sources for butterflies. In doing this, a person aging in place can enjoy the company of butterflies on an ongoing basis. Plants native to the area are the best to use. Butterfly plants are available at nearby seed swaps or local garden stores. These places may provide a delivery service; best to give them a call beforehand.
Examples of plants butterflies love:
- Varieties of Hydrangea
- Black-eyed Susan
- Mountain Laurel
- Bee Balm
- Rhododendron
- Milkweed
Starting a beautiful butterfly garden is a great way to engage clients in productive activity as they age at home. We're passionate about our clients' quality of life. To learn more about our around-the-clock home care services, contact us. We're happy to answer any questions you may have. Happy Garden Month!
For these butterfly friendly plants and more, go to:
Guentner’s Garden (503) 585-7113
5780 Commercial St, SE, Salem, OR 97306